Saratoga Springwatercolor Art Opening May 1st Putnam Den!

 Hey! Come check out my Saratoga Springwatercolor Series official art opening SUNDAY MAY 1st at the PUTNAM DEN 5pm!!! I will be there, selling my paintings, and serving FREE PIZZA WITH DOUGH MADE FROM THE SPRINGWATER! YES! EACH PIZZA WILL REPRESENT A DIFFERENT SPRING!!!!! SUNDAY MAY 1st 5pm. 

After that, I have the 20th anniversary party for my radio show, The Full Metal Racket Show!!!! Myself, known as George Burnz (with zero grace) and my co-host, the Metal Pig aka The Pied Piper of the Apocalypse, have a killer night in store for you!!!

 We have Ventura, California's Night Demon, along with Visigoth from  S.L.C., Utah, Neutron Rats from Ballston Spa, and Foaming at the Mouth from the Spa City! All in good taste, and just downright good wholesome fun! An evening you cannot afford to miss!!!

Anyway....Dang! A polar vortex that kicked off spring, was like playing a Led Zep record backwards, and summoning the dark lord known as hewhoshallremaincoldashell! So, now that the sun has shown it's shiny face, I got off my tuchus and rendered some repeats, to test my agile progression and fine tuning of the art of watercoloring, ha!.... 

 To some readers unaware of what I am currently undertaking, I am rendering a watercolor representation of each spring I find tasteful (!), using it's respective spring water that it emits. I have since painted almost 20 fountains, and established a fluid bond with our town's surname. 

 To follow up on my last post, the Rosemary spring,

 https://www.facebook.com/thecrystalspasaratoga/posts/752478231518748 I was contacted by the husband of the grand daughter of Rosemary, and I sold him the painting. I couldn't have asked for a better home. Come down to my art opening, I'll chat history, water, heavy metal, whatever floats yer boat! I promise, the art looks better in person!

 So, here's Columbian Spring, where, I heard it stopped flowing so, now it's just piped in Saratoga tap water, but shhh keep it under your hat for now... here, read this 

http://briefingsfromaspacitymetalhead.blogspot.com/2015/07/saratoga-springwatercolors-continued.html

I met a burmese python while painting the Columbian Spring, he even got a drink! 

Then I walked down a few pink steps, to the Congress Spring!

I omitted the background - a gargantuan condo that overshadows our city park....

I'll end on a nice note, read my archive, it's on the right column, it might 'learn ya a thing er twoo'

Springwater Watercolor of The Rosemary Spring

One of the lesser known springs in Saratoga Springs, is the youngest of the springs in Saratoga, the Rosemary Spring. The Rosemary Spring sits on the property of the Grand Union Motel on South Broadway, behind the Crystal Spa. 

 James Benton built the Grand Union Motel in 1953, the same year the world famous Grand Union Hotel was razed. Later, in 1960, James Benton served as mayor of Saratoga, and served for four years, replacing Addison Mallery, a mayor who held the office for 25 years. James drilled the spring in 1964, and he named it after his wife, Rosemary. Rosemary was the proud mother of 12 children, 6 boys and 6 girls. The Six Sisters Bed and Breakfast on Union Ave is reference to the six Benton sisters, with sister Kate Benton being the proprietor. 

  Just as the State's Roosevelt and Lincoln baths utilized the natural healing waters of the springs, in 1988, the Bentons built a spa/bath house, and piped their private spring, the Rosemary Spring, into what they named ''The Crystal Spa'', and it is used for their baths to this day. One of the 6 daughters, Agatha, ran the spa for the family.

 The water is comparable to the Old Red Spring, for it's skin healing qualities, and I have heard that the Old Red Spring doesn't contain the same properties it used to, making this the best in Saratoga for skin issues. A sweet Saratoga history tidbit, the Grand Union Motel and Crystal Spa's marble flooring is from the Grand Union Hotel.

 The property was recently sold by the Benton family, and then resold, to the person who is also developing the old Ellsworth Ice Cream plant property on Division St. 

 I really hope they retain that spring, it would be a waste to cap such amazing water. I noticed the mineral deposits had not hardened yet, and when I pinched some off the fountain, it stained my finger tips!!!! I got so excited, I knew for a fact this would transfer to paper or canvas, and sure enough, voila!!! It is about as a direct interpretation as I can get. I hope you dig it. This painting was done with Rosemary's Springwater, brown, orange and red, all color derived from mineral deposits. I am sooo stoked. All paintings by yours truly, George DeMers. 

Most spring's tufa has hardened, this was soft as butter. 

Got my "paint" ready!

Yeah, the clogged drain makes for a mess, but that new formed muck is a blessing for me! 

Check out that orange!!!! It works great!!!!!!

Thanks for checking me out! Read the rest of my blog, it rules!

Saratoga Geyser Water Bottle Watercolor

I must be getting old, ( I'm 40ish ) because for the last year, I have delved headlong into old timer hobbies, such things like local history and watercoloring. Look out for my crocheted model train geranium coming soon! Anyway, I started with what I know best, still life art, and I got the ball rolling with this water bottle watercolor post;

http://briefingsfromaspacitymetalhead.blogspot.com/2015/04/lately-ive-been-dabbling-with-water.html (Vichy, Geyser, Coesa bottles)

 This has led me on the trail to render a watercolor painting of each spring, in Saratoga Springs, using each spring's respective water. This will be a passion of mine and as long as I live or visit here in Saratoga Springs.
 I recently found (at a second hand store, I'll tell ya where, later, after I go back and buy the rest of 'em ) an unopened bottle of Saratoga Geyser Water, and I decided to crack open the 50? year old bottle and use it for watercoloring! 
 But first, let me tell you a story about Saratoga Geyser Water. 
I'll go back to 1907, when Dr. Strong had a spring for his sanitorium on Circular st.

postcard on ebay

The Hathorns had the Hathorn Spring down the hill  
 (see http://briefingsfromaspacitymetalhead.blogspot.com/2015/08/hathorn-and-hayes-spring-water-colors.html ) 

 Hathorn proved in court that Dr. Strong's pump on his spring affected the flow of the Hathorn Spring. This then, eventually led NY State to step in and ban the pumping of the springs of Saratoga.  Through means of eminent domain, The State began to purchase the springs and land around surrounding them. 

 In 1910, the State started bottling Saratoga Geyser Water. They leased it out to private business until 1933. That year, FDR, a victim of polio, submersed in the advocation of hydrotherapy and it's benefits, converted the land to what is now the Spa State Park. 1936, the Georgian Revival styled Bottling Plant was built, and it's said to have bottled and sold 50 million units, up until it's closing, in 1971.  With modern medicine taking charge, and a study released that found the spa springs to be radioactive, the spa saw a lack of funding from the state, and 1971 was the end of an era for Saratoga Vichy's only competition, NY State (well, there was Perrier) ....
 Saratoga Vichy, a company across Rt. 50, got sued by France, way back in the day, over the name Vichy, that'll be another story. But, I bring it up, because, Saratoga Vichy, who had been in operation since 1876, sued Saratoga Geyser over their name. 

In 1971, Saratoga Vichy tried to buy the defunded Saratoga Geyser, to no avail. The State couldn't sell it, because the state had it's hands tied in a court dispute with their distributors. Come 1979, NY State sells the business to Waters of Saratoga Inc. 
 Saratoga Vichy then sues NY State and Waters of Saratoga Inc., for a laundry list of accusations, namely trademark, unfair competition, etc. 
It was basically thrown out, because Vichy never claimed trademark foul for the last 60 years of Geyser's operation, and now that Geyser is no longer in operation, it's a moot point. The new Saratoga Geyser opened for a few months in 1980, and soon closed for unknown reasons. Ok, got that off my chest, here's the damn watercolor.....

In all it's glory...

 Cracking the 40+ year old bottle!

Getting the water ready, wearing Converse Timbers....

VOILA!~

Hathorn Spring # 3 Springwatercolor

Continuing on my springwater color series, I braved the winter cold, (it's not so bad this year) and painted the southernmost spring  in the Saratoga Springs chain of springs. 
Hathorn # 3 should be called # 2, for it was bottled and sold, and was/is known for it's medicinal properties, due to it's cathartic effects. I like how the dictionary (not a physical dictionary, those have gone way of the buffalo) online # 2 describes it purging or cleansing, especially by causing evacuation of the bowels. 

 It's taste is distinct, it's really salty, and has a peppery finish, due to being one of the most mineralized springs, in the chain of springs around Saratoga (Springs). It's so carbonated, the bottles would explode if kept at high temperatures. Many o' tourists got back home to Jersey or where ever, to only find they just delivered a trunk full of luggage, speckled with broken glass and salt water.

Early 1900's postcard

 The water erupts in ever changing intervals that produces an all or nothing, uh, does it work? wait for it.....wait for it...wait for it...... splash!!!....showering splash!!!!!!!! gurgle....splash!!!!
 With the sound and power of a Thruway rest stop's bathroom toilet's flush, it's a mini Lumberjack Splash for the hand. The fountain (that has been relatively the same since the early 1900's) is shallow, so people with big jugs leave with bummer looks on their constipated faces.
 I do suggest trying it, it tastes great! If you don't wanna have to run to the nearest john, (located next to the State Seal spring) just try a dixie cup size, you'll be fine, heheheheh.

 an old postcard 1940's

That sign says that this water was served at the Hall of Springs, 7am to 9pm, and I betcha the Hall of Springs bathroom took no prisoners 7am to 9pm too! 
Person in the photo below contemplates using that green trash can......any port in a storm!

 1960's

Today

 Got my water ready...

Finished Product!

Check out my other springwater colors, on this lovely blog! Thanks!!!!!

Winter's Walk in the Spa State Park

I really wanted to get over there and see the springs at sub zero temps, but, it was too cold for me to even get in the van to warm it up. So, yesterday, when the freeeeze broke, I headed on over, take a look with me!

                          The run off tufa dome from the Orenda Spring, looking lovely!

Geyser Spouter

Hayes Spring

              State Seal (not one person getting water today!) 
                             

Polaris Spring, encased in ice!

    Oh Deer!

Hitchin' a ride

 Coesa Spring still a bubblin'!

Yep, that's me!

Skidmore College football team 1946

Since it's Super Bowl Sunday, I have a football story, of local historical implications. Following WWII, in 1944, the GI Bill afforded vets a college education, cramming co-ed colleges with extra students. The government asked if any all women's schools could help lessen the burden, and soon after, Skidmore College, then an all girls school, accepted it's first (temporary) male students.

 These guys fresh from war, wanted a full college education, including well rounded athletics, with many sports, namely football. At the Surrey, on North Broadway, (at the time, not Skidmore property) there was the Brown Prep School for Boys, which would serve as formidable opponents.

 The game garnered 1,500 spectators and was covered by many newspapers, though, I can't find a single photo. The game ended in a tie score. Here's a bunch of news articles detailing the game.....

From San Jose College 

Vassar never excepted the challenge.

Suicide at City Hall Jan. 29 1902

 One of the many stories this town's history holds, is a morbid tale of local politicians and their politics, that ended in suicide at City Hall.

From Nellie Bly's "The Wickedest Summer Resort"

Caleb Mitchell, who went by Cale, was a man of many trades. In 1880, he patented a liquor serving table. 

photo from US Patent Archive

Cale along with his brother, ran the Glen Mitchell Hotel, just north of North Broadway. I have photos of the ruins of that hotel, ruins that I remember from my old stomping grounds growing up on Rt. 9 near Loughberry Lake, and the ruins are still there, and I will post soon. 
 *(Side Note) The Glen Mitchell Hotel later became St. Clement's College, and a shrine was built in 1898, of "The Lady Of Lourds." The Lady is a statue depiction of one of the Marian apparitions, a story, from the mid 1800's where Mary appeared in a cave and basically provided a spring that had healing waters flowing from it. This statue is now on Lake Ave. in front of St. Clements. 
postcard 1934                                                          

 Cale was elected village president (mayor), in 1894. At the time, he was also the proprietor of Mitchell's Tavern, located opposite Division st. on Broadway. Like most other storefronts on Broadway, it featured a gambling room in the back. These gambling rooms catered to local residents, unlike Canfield's Casino, whom only catered to high stakes bettors from out of state.

Just prior to the turn of the century saw the Temperance Movement (religious and anti-alcohol) in the US gaining more and more traction. Also, at the time, a journalist named Elizabeth Cochran, pen name Nellie Bly, became a top journalist, after faking insanity to get an inside look on life in the asylums. She soon after garnered worldwide attention by traveling around the world in a record setting 72 days. 
Now at her peak in her career, she came to Saratoga, and saw man, woman, and child, participating in gambling and drinking, it was enough fodder to make her next article. 
 Mind you, this was a time when the Saratoga Racetrack was owned by a guy named "Dutch Fred" Walbaum, who made his money from a gambling/brothel house on the Bowery in NYC, and a racetrack in New Jersey. The NJ track was known for drugged horses, jockeys with battery stingers, and winter racing.

photo from Daily Racing Form

Saratoga was full bore, then, Nellie Bly released a bombshell hit piece called "Our Wickedest Summer Resort." In the article, she interviews Cale Mitchell, and, pertaining to Saratoga history, this interview is one some old West sounding stuff for sure. Anyway, this article put Saratoga Springs under the microscope. http://www.nellieblyonline.com/images/uploads/1894-08-19_Our_Wickedest_Summer_Resort.pdf

 NY Senator Edgar Brackett, from Wilton, who lived in Saratoga, shared City Hall with Cale Mitchell. But, that's about all they shared, for Brackett, now under fire from the press and public, again went after Caleb. Brackett had held office a few years before the gambler turned mayor. Brackett, prior to Cale Mitchell's election, tried to get Mitchell and gambling out of Saratoga. 

Now, Brackett, was determined as Senator, to clean up his town. Graft and vice, ballot stuffing and whatnot at the Democratic club Tammany Hall (another topic I write about soon) in NYC was recently highly publicized, and with that frame of mind, he passed a bill, making the town board of trustees the only ones eligible to vote for the mayor. Cale fought back, and lost. 

Senator Brackett, made it illegal to own a gambling establishment in Saratoga, except for Richard Canfield, and the Saratoga Club, for they catered to high society out of towners. Cale's Broadway spot was shut down, he opened a pool hall next to the racetrack, only to be shut down again. Caleb fought in court to disrupt the gambling and power monopoly Brackett had established with Canfield. 

Caleb Mitchell now without a store front/gambling establishment, no longer mayor, was at an all time low. On January 29th, 1902, Caleb Mitchell, got a gun, went to City Hall, and barged Sen. Edgar Brackett's office. Brackett was not there, Brackett was on a train to Albany, to present his anti-gambling bill. Caleb Mitchell then turned the gun on himself, and shot himself in the head, in the doorway of Brackett's office. He was the 5th in his family to take his own life. 

from the SF Call Jan.30 1902

NY Times article below

http://query.nytimes.com/mem/archive-free/pdf?res=9A0DE7DA1F3CEF33A25753C3A9679C946397D6CF

I'll save it for another story post on Richard Canfield, but, this suicide, along with other events, made things harder for Canfield to operate his casino monopoly in Saratoga.